“Let us dance!” Betaan cried, as the drums began to tap out a rhythm and flutes tootled a catchy tune. She grabbed one of Storm’s hands, Mer the other, and in a heartbeat Storm was part of a circle of dancers rotating to the music. If she closed her eyes, she could have been back at home, dancing with Ma and Minnow. Storm let her feet travel the familiar steps, feeling giddy, even reckless. She wasn’t Yanlin’s Weather-witch now. She was an ordinary girl having fun. Don’t be stupid! scolded her mind-voice. If you were an ordinary girl you wouldn’t be here. Remember what Lake said about Talon: you cannot trust these people!

Go away! Storm replied and danced even harder.

A knocking sound pulled her from an instantly forgotten dream. Storm opened her eyes. Instead of the sea-stained boards of the Wayfinder deck an arm’s length above her hammock, she saw a gold ceiling high overhead. It took a few amazed heartbeats before she remembered where she was. The knock became an impatient rapping.

“Who is it?” She pushed herself to sitting.

The door flew wide. Betaan marched into the room, carrying a small tray. “Breakfast, sleepy-head! I couldn’t wait for you to wake up any longer. I’m dying to gossip about last night. And to tell you about today’s excursion.” She placed the tray on Storm’s lap. It held a tiny teapot, a porcelain cup and a plate of steaming pumpkin rolls. “Eat up! Quickly now.”

“Excursion?” Storm poured out tea, took a bite of roll, suddenly famished. It seemed strange to have a whole day before her with no job to do, no task, nothing to make or mend. Work had always come first on Yanlin: she could not remember a time when she had been too young to have any chores.

“I am going to introduce you to the wonders of Bellum Town!” Betaan exclaimed grandly. “Mer will come with us. I think she likes you! But you are my best friend, remember?” The other girl tossed off the words with an arch smile.

This is a game she plays. Storm chewed thoughtfully. And I don’t know the rules.

Her lifelong best friend had been a boy. Thorn had been killed by the Drowned Ones, and she missed him every day. On Yanlin, she had never had a girl friend, only a girl-enemy. It’s a game, her mind-voice confirmed. It doesn’t mean anything. But even so, Storm felt a surge of pleasure at Betaan’s words and her archly possessive smile.

“I can’t wait!” she said. And stole dead Thorn’s almost last words: “I’ve wanted to see Bellum Town my whole life!”

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